Trail of Hope

Many have tried before, but I guess it takes special charisma to fulfill the task. For decades many more very committed people persisted on recognizing Penn Treaty Park as a historic place. And for decades nothing happened.

There are times when we discover that life’s circumstances are not always what we might wish them to be. There are moments in our lives when things do not go as planned. Yet we cannot allow those unpredictable obstacles hold us back from putting our efforts into choosing a path to work towards direction of our goals.

And this Saturday, we’ll have a chance to meet some of those amazing people, a very special individuals.

Thanks to them, and their persistence and countless efforts at last, Pent Treaty Park has been recognized by Philadelphia Historical Commission and placed on the Registrar of Philadelphia Historic Places.

At Last - Recognition of Penn Treaty Park

Penn Treaty Museum is proud to host a Celebration to recognize the listing of Penn Treaty Park on  the Registrar of Philadelphia Historic Places.

Saturday, May 12, 2012  @ 12 Noon at Penn Treaty Park -Delaware and Columbia Ave.

Music -Kensington Creative and Performing Arts(CAPA) High School-Drum Line

Presentations:

• New Kensington CDC
• Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia
• Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
• Barbara Morehead, Friends of Penn Treaty Park

The collection of the Penn Treaty Museum will be open to the public 1-3 PM immediately after the ceremony.

The Truly Amazing Elm Tree agreement at Shackamaxon perceived right before heaven and earth William Penn and Chief Tamanend representing their unique nations, created the understanding of peacefulness, friendship along with love. This assembly was not to trade or even acquire any territory but to rejoice and confirm the friendly relationship of love and dedication. Next towards the moving rich waters of the Delaware River and beneath the outstretched boughs of a Great Elm tree has been recognized what has been known as the Great Treaty.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Reviewing out of books relates this history regarding the agreement created among these two nations as:

Great Elm Tree at Haverford Collage

There endures just the basic oral custom concerning the actual Great Elm, and the certain recollections associated with an aged woman that stated to have got seen the actual event as a youthful young lady. The woman recalled it strongly not due to the fact she recognized at the time its historic importance: parleys with the Indians had been frequent situations on the frontier in those days.                               She remembered it clearly due to the fact Penn had been the handsomest person she had ever before experienced, prior to or even since. This woman furthermore informed of the special event following the actual agreement formalities concluded. The attractive Penn had been wondrous, his state of mind overflowing. He consumed the Indian meals with relish, and settled to learn their own language so he could communicate with his brand new friends personally.

And then something remarkable occurred that created the night even more unforgettable to the young girl. The Indians started dancing in celebration, to jump as well as jump with the throb of the drums, and to whoop and chant their particular unusual sounds.                                        

Ultimately Penn could contain himself no longer. no occasion for dismal sternness. Then there he was, amazingly, there was Governor William Penn up dancing with the Indians, bouncing and screaming and wiggling as if trying to be more Indian than the Indians.

Turning from the wonder of the young lady at this good looking gentleman dancing with abandon, we can just picture the actual surprise of Penn’s party at this particular break of decorum. Had Penn completely taken depart of his senses?

For short lived time a few must have worried that Penn would remove off his garments to totally free his braches. 

There was a time for dignity, and a time for ecstasy. 

It is this agreement, the particular covenant created among these two nations that became a witness and an instance towards the nations when these two individuals’ communities accepted each other beneath the Great Elm on the banks of the awesome Delaware River: the Indians and the white man. 

This had been a strong precedent which kept within its Genetics a value of all individuals. It talked of trust and unity. It spoke of hope. This has been the creating blocks of independence.

These two nations, represented by their particular leaders, William Penn and Chief Tamanend, created a agreement of peace, friendship and love, one with the other. An important strong dedication was exchanged face to face and heart to heart. It was the required component needed for maintaining both these nations together within a enduring relationship of common admiration and love.

Of this Great Treaty, Voltaire, the French author stated: “the only league made between those nations which was never sworn to by oath, and never violated.”

Let’s celebrate; March 24 will mark first anniversary of the Trail of Hope.                                                                                                      Everybody is invited to join me in a commemorating walk this day from Penn Treaty Park to the descendent of Great Elm in Haverford. (11 miles)

Much more information to follow…. Come one, come all … Let’s Celebrate!

The Galleries at The Gershman Y 401 S. Broad st. Philadelphia, Pa 19147

“Corporeal” & “Trail of Hope”

RECEPTION: – THURSDAY, JANUARY- 19, from 6-8pm
January 6 – February 19, 2012

Alumni artists from The Center for Emerging Visual Artists:
Maria Anasazi, Susan Benarcik, Ava Blitz, Brooke Hine, and Leslie Speicher
Photographs of an amazing walk to Olkahoma: Peter Prusinowski
a.k.a., Image Whisperer

Join Me !

WITH LOVE AND CONSENT

                                  The principle of goodwill and friendship toward all men laid at the very root of William Penn beliefs.

Well before he left England, he was determined to treat Native Americans as brothers and win their confidence and friendship. It was his deep sense of humanity and conviction that Indians, no less than whites, were entitled to love and respect.   Here’s a letter dated October 18, 1681 William Penn sent to the Indians:

“My Friends

There is one great God and power that has made the world and all things therein, to whom you and I and all people owe their being and well being, and to whom you and I must one day give an account for all that we do in this world. This great God has written his law in our hearts, by which we are taught and commanded to love and help and do good to one another, and not to do harm and mischief one unto another.                                                                                                                                                                                      Now this great God has been pleased to make me concerned in your parts of the world, and the king of the country where I live has given unto ma a great province therein, but I desire to enjoy it with your love and consent, that we may always live together as friends, else what would the great God say to us, who has made us not to devour and destroy one another, but to live soberly and kindly together in the world.

Now I would have you well observe, that I am very sensible of the unkindness and injustice that has been too much exercised towards you by the people of these parts of the world, who have sought themselves, and to make great advantages by you, rather than be examples of justice and goodness unto you; which I hear has been matter of trouble to you and caused great grudgings and animosities, sometimes to the shedding of blood, which has made the great God angry.

But I am not such a man, as is well known in my own country. I have great love and regard toward you, and I desire to win and gain your love and friendship by a kind, just, and peaceable life; and the people I send are of the same mind, and shall in all things behave themselves accordingly. And if in anything any shall offend you or your people, you shall have a full and speedy satisfaction for the same by an equal number of honest men on both sides, that by no means you may have just occasion of being offended against them.

I shall shortly come to you myself, at what time we may more largely and freely confer and discourse of these matters. In the meantime, I have sent my commissioners to treat with you about land and a firm league of peace. Let me desire you to be kind to them and the people, and receive these presents and tokens which I have sent to you as a testimony of my good will to you and my resolution to live justly, peaceably, and friendly with you. I am your friend.

 Wm. Penn  “

Shadow Catcher-  Edward S. Curtis and North American Indians

Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952)   life long dedication , who gave his entire life and fortune to record on photographic film the memories of the last Native Nations of North America from the Apache, down in the South, to the Nunivak in Alaska.

In 1906 J.P. Morgan offered Curtis $75,000 to produce a series on the North American Indian. It was to be in 20 volumes with 1,500 photographs. Morgan was to receive 25 sets and 500 original prints as his method of repayment. 222 complete sets were eventually published.

 Curtis’ goal was not just to photograph, but to document, as much American Indian (Native American) traditional life as possible before that way of life disappeared. He wrote in the introduction to his first volume in 1907: “The information that is to be gathered … respecting the mode of life of one of the great races of mankind, must be collected at once or the opportunity will be lost.”

 Curtis made over 10,000 wax cylinder recordings of Indian language and music. He took over 40,000 photographic images from over 80 tribes. He recorded tribal lore and history, and he described traditional foods, housing, garments, recreation, ceremonies, and funeral customs. He wrote biographical sketches of tribal leaders, and his material, in most cases, is the only recorded history.

Laurie Lawlor reveals that “many Native Americans Curtis photographed called him Shadow Catcher. But the images he captured were far more powerful than mere shadows.

 The men, women, and children in The North American Indian seem as alive to us today as they did when Curtis took their pictures in the early part of the twentieth century.

 Curtis respected the Indians he encountered and was willing to learn about their culture, religion and way of life. In return the Indians respected and trusted him. When judged by the standards of his time, Curtis was far ahead of his contemporaries in sensitivity, tolerance, and openness to Native American cultures and ways of thinking.”

Edward S. Curtis photography work can be seen here:

Edward S. Curtis Collection at library of Congress

Smithsonian Institution’s Frontier photographer Edward S. Curtis

The Curtis Collection Homepage

> One who walks a long way <

I’m so very Honored and Proud !

Here’s a letter of Wm. Penn to Delaware Indians
and these are exactly my feelings:
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           William Penn’s Letter to the Pennsylvania Indians 
                          London, October 18, 1681    

  ***         My Friends——
 
     There is one great God and Power that hath made the world and all things therein, to whom you and I and all People owe their being and well being, and to whom you and I must one Day give an account, for all that we do in this world:  this great God hath commanded to love and help and do good to one another and not to do harme and mischeif one unto one an other . . . .
 
     I have great love and regard towards you, and I desire to win and gain your Love and friendship by a kind, just and peaceable life.       ***

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——–  in the Spirit of Love, Peace, Amity
                  from the Trail of Hope.   –  August 12, 2011
                  Peter Prusinowski.    ———-

SPIRITUAL WARRIOR

Life offers us the opportunity to become a Spiritual Warrior. 
A warrior is one who bravely goes into those dark areas within 
themselves to ferret out the Truth of their being. 
It takes great courage, stamina and endurance to 
become a Spiritual Warrior.
 
The path is narrow, the terrain rough and rocky. 
You will walk alone: through the dark caves, 
up those steep climbs and through the dense thick forest. 
You will meet your dark side. The faces of fear, deceit, and 
sadness all await your arrival.
 
No one can take this journey but you. 
There comes a time, in each of our lives, 
when we are given the choice to follow this path. 
Should we decide to embark on this journey, 
we can never turn back…. Our lives are changed forever 
On this journey, there are many different places we can 
choose to slip into and hide. But the path goes on. 
The Spiritual Warrior stays the course, wounded at times, 
exhausted and out of energy. Many times, the Warrior will 
struggle back to their feet to take only a few steps before 
falling again.
 
Rested, they forge on, 
continuing the treacherous path. 
The journey continues. The Spiritual Warrior 
stays the course. Weakened, but never broken. 
One day, the battle, loneliness and desperate fights are over. 
The sun breaks through the clouds; the birds begin to sing 
their sweet melodies. There is a change in the energy. 
A deep change within the self.
 
The warrior has fought the courageous fight. 
The battle of the dark night of the soul is won. 
New energy now fills the Warrior. 
A new path is now laid before them. 
A gentler path filled with the inner-knowing 
of one who has personal empowerment.
 
With their personal battle won, they are filled with joy. 
A new awareness that they are one with the Spirit beams 
as they go forth to show others the way. 
They are not permitted to walk the path for others. 
They can only love, guide and be a living example 
of the Truth of their being. 

                                                                - Unknown Native American

Almost three years ago, an idea came to me from the depths of my heart. After being involved with the Lenape Indians, Penn Treaty Park and the Penn Treaty Park Museum, I felt a certain connection, uniting my present associations with an understanding in my past.  Growing up, I was always inspired by William Penn’s Treaty of Amity and Friendship. I too, wanted to spread the values of love, peace and amity to all walks of life I encountered. 

When the idea for the Trail of Hope came to me, I felt that the decision to walk 2,000 miles tracing the migration path of the Lenni-Lenape Indians was already decided for me. My heart showed me a destination and it was up to me to figure out how to get there. I spent two and a half years planning the Trail. I studied maps, learned important Lenape history, and prepared physically and mentally to undertake this journey of a lifetime. Then the day I had been waiting for finally came.

On March 23^rd, in the midst of a light drizzle, I began my journey after a special sendoff under the comforting branches of the Great Elm. I happily walked in the rain, 11 miles to Haverford, the home of the oldest and closest living descendent of the Great Elm Tree.

From there I walked westward though Pennsylvania. Almost immediately I encountered snow. My terrain went from rolling hills to intense mountains. The snow gave way to a consistent rain. I began to face the challenging elements that the Lenape also faced on their journey. Despite the elements, I enjoyed visiting various historical sites, forts and battlefields throughout Pennsylvania.

In April I crossed into Ohio where I encountered several “interesting” motels, was nearly killed by an angry man at a bar, and had to walk in the rain almost every day. I spent some time paying my respects at the site of the Gnadenhutten Massacre in Newcomerstown. I explored many small towns and villages along the way. By early May, I had grown a rather wild beard and continued to trek through intense thunderstorms and unrelenting rain.

When I reached Indiana in mid-May, I received a surprise of a lifetime. While walking down a road surrounded by fields, I came face to face with a wolf. At first I feared he might attack me, but gradually my mind and body felt as if a blanket of peace and safety had washed over me. This beast and I gazed into each others eyes until he let out a long mournful howl and we set off in opposite directions. My unique encounter with this beast surprises me to this day.

Near the end of May, I reached the 1,000 mile point. My buddy John Connors flew out to Indiana to share that special milestone with me. Shortly after this milestone, I wasn’t sure if I’d reach another one. As I was heading to Layfayette, Indiana, I got caught in a horrendous storm. The wind could literally lift me off of the ground. I clung to a tree for dear life until a Good Samaritan invited me into his home until the storm had passed.

May rolled into June, I crossed into Indiana and the heat started to rise. Little did I know just how hot the weather could get once I reached the last legs of the Trail. Before I headed to St. Louis Missouri, I was privileged to have another visitor.  My daughter, Violet, flew out to walk with me to St. Louis and explore the city for a few days. She helped me get rid of my beard, which was becoming a nuisance in the heat. Her visit came at a great time, for her presence was able to renew my spirit and refresh my soul.

As I walked through the heat in Missouri, I felt called to spread hope in a different way. After some phone calls, I got connected with a church in Joplin, Missouri and was able to spend a week assisting the clean up and recovery process after a devastating tornado leveled the area. The week I spent in Joplin was one of the most fruitful weeks on the Trail. I met so many wonderful people and despite the fact the temperature exceeded 100 degrees almost everyday, I loved every minute I spent there. I found it hard to leave and continue on my way but was grateful and humbled that I was able to lend a small hand in restoring hope in a ravaged community.          

The final month and a half on the Trail proved to be the hardest. The sun shone down brightly each and every day, bringing crippling heat and humidity.  I would set out at 6am and by 10am my water was as hot as tea. My mind stopped working, my legs didn’t want to move forward, and at times I’d walk 30 miles in these conditions just to reach my motel for the night. The terrain was made up of endless stretches of land and fields with little civilization in between.

By the end of July I had crossed into Kansas. I visited the Shawnee Indian Mission and the Haskell Indian Nations University. My walks began at 3am and ended mid to late in the day. It was all I could do to survive the dangerously hot conditions.

Now I am within days of walking to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Four and a half months and 2,000 miles later, the Trail of Hope is coming to a close. I’m honored that this idea came to me and I could pay tribute to the Lenape Indians. I am grateful that I could share the Trail with everyone I met along the way and spread hope to all different walks of life. I hope that today, different cultures can live in peace together and that my Trail has lit a flame of hope in the hearts of those I encountered.